The federal government's website for disposing of surplus property is offering USAF 1864, ex-USN 65-00374, a Baldwin S12 built in December 1952, as well as USAF 1606, a GE 80-ton centercab built in February 1953. They are at Hill AFB near Ogden, UT, which closed its base railway in May 2011. Here's the notice:

I saw both locomotives during a visit in November 1999 and they were fully operational.

Also available from the same website are ex-VRE double-decker cars planned for the Army's troop train shuttle that was supposed to go from Fort Lee near Petersburg, VA, to a point near Fort A. P. Hill, not far from Fredericksburg, VA, a program that never got off the ground. Most likely the cars, languishing on Fort Lee's warehouse spur, will go to scrap. Here's the link:

At last word the three ex-VRE locomotives were at the Army rail shop at Hill AFB but were still in VRE colors and had not been renumbered or repainted for Army service, nor reassigned to any particular Army post.

Author:

davew833 [ Fri Feb 14, 2014 6:28 pm ]

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Re: Baldwin S12 for sale

I saw one of the ex-VRE locomotives at Hill AFB this morning. It's visible from the freeway. Still in full VRE colors with small U.S. Army lettering.

Author:

Rainier Rails [ Fri Feb 14, 2014 10:52 pm ]

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Re: Baldwin S12 for sale

Tim Moriarty wrote:

Also available from the same website are ex-VRE double-decker cars planned for the Army's troop train shuttle.

These would be ex-VRE, exx-Metra, nee-C&NW gallery cars built by P-S.

The website lists four cars for sale: USAX #402, #404, #405, and #407. Were any additional cars acquired for the planned shuttle??

Author:

Tim Moriarty [ Fri Feb 14, 2014 11:34 pm ]

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Re: Baldwin S12 for sale

This article from October 25, 2011 stated the Army bought 3 locomotives and 10 cars.

I suspect they're not trying to sell them all at once, but instead are unloading them in small lots.

Author:

Rainier Rails [ Sat Feb 15, 2014 1:29 am ]

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Re: Baldwin S12 for sale

Thanks, Tim, for the info and link!

Author:

JohnC [ Sun Feb 16, 2014 9:20 pm ]

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Re: Baldwin S12 for sale

Notice that the opening bid is $25.00 YES! $25.00 !!!

Author:

eze240 [ Sun Feb 16, 2014 9:52 pm ]

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Re: Baldwin S12 for sale

Two problems with the Baldwin switcher, 1: plain journals,not rollers. 2: looks like they want it removed In about a week after winning the auction. You would have to get it moved somehow, very quickly, plus they won't let the buyer scrap it on site....so, they probably won't allow much work to be done on it on site either. Same is probably true for the other loco and the commuter cars.

Author:

AlcoC420 [ Sun Feb 16, 2014 10:40 pm ]

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Re: Baldwin S12 for sale

There is no first bid yet, as the bidding has not started yet.

The $25.00 posted as a first bid is standard for the company that handles the surplus sales for the government.

Author:

Tim Moriarty [ Tue Feb 18, 2014 2:57 pm ]

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Re: Baldwin S12 for sale

At the time the Army acquired the cars from the VRE, a VRE employee sent to me an email with this information: “The following are the locomotives and cars going to the Army: V432, V434, V435, V436, V438, V439, V447, V455, V456, V457, V21, V22, and V24.”

The car numbers don't correspond to those in the recent advertisement (402, 404, 405, and 407), so it's possible the Army assigned its own new numbers to the cars while they sat at Fort Lee.

Author:

Overmod [ Tue Feb 18, 2014 4:12 pm ]

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Re: Baldwin S12 for sale

Fascinating that it has a "Western Electric" main generator and traction motors. I had no idea that Baldwin had developed a Strowger-switch electric MU control!

Author:

Tim Moriarty [ Wed Feb 19, 2014 5:21 pm ]

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Re: Baldwin S12 for sale

Apparently those ex-VRE locomotives in Army hands at Hill AFB, UT, have received new numbers after all. Thanks to Ken Ardinger for providing this information:

Also available from the same website are ex-VRE double-decker cars planned for the Army's troop train shuttle.

Rainier Rails wrote:

These would be ex-VRE, exx-Metra, nee-C&NW gallery cars built by P-S.

The website lists four cars for sale: USAX #402, #404, #405, and #407. Were any additional cars acquired for the planned shuttle??

Tim Moriarty wrote:

At the time the Army acquired the cars from the VRE, a VRE employee sent to me an email with this information: “The following are the locomotives and cars going to the Army: V432, V434, V435, V436, V438, V439, V447, V455, V456, V457, V21, V22, and V24.”

The car numbers don't correspond to those in the recent advertisement (402, 404, 405, and 407), so it's possible the Army assigned its own new numbers to the cars while they sat at Fort Lee.

Tim Moriarty wrote:

Apparently those ex-VRE locomotives in Army hands at Hill AFB, UT, have received new numbers after all. Thanks to Ken Ardinger for providing this information:

I get the impression that it's "$25.00 as is, where is, and get it the heck out of here."

Author:

Drake Rice [ Wed Feb 19, 2014 10:53 pm ]

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Re: Baldwin S12 for sale

The engine has already been sold to a vendor. The Oklahoma Railway Museum contacted about purchase a loading on flat for movement, however we were told on January 26, 2014 that they were already sold. Drake Rice, Secretary ORM

Author:

Tim Moriarty [ Thu Feb 20, 2014 11:45 am ]

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Re: Baldwin S12 for sale

Thanks for the update. It'll be interesting to find out who the successful bidder was and where the locomotives go.